All but five of the counties (Grant, Lincoln, Mineral, Mingo, and Summers) that comprise West Virginia were formed between 1754 (Hampshire) and 1860 (Webster). Each county courthouse has the records created by the clerk since its inception. Microfilm copies of the records (nineteenth and early twentieth centuries) can be searched at the Archives and History Library in Charleston, the West Virginia University West Virginia University Library West Virginia Regional History Collection in Morgantown, and the The Family History Library (FHL).

The chart following this section gives the address of each county courthouse and the years covered by each record source. Some counties will answer mail inquiries, but will charge a fee for the time it takes to perform the search and copy costs. Check the website of the National Association of County Organizations, for additional information.

Land, probate, and vital records are located at the clerk’s office at the county seat. Court records, including naturalizations and divorces, are at the circuit court clerk’s office at the county seat.
In addition to general sources for all states (see pages 17-18), the following has been used to compile the following chart: